Research shows learning results from experience with personal meaning.  Jesus Christ already knows about each of your life experiences, why each one matters to you or does not matter to you and what you learn from each experience. If an experience hurts you, it is not because Jesus Christ wants to punish you. Nor do hurtful experiences occur because you are a 2^nd class Christian or a failure. But rather Jesus Christ allows difficult experiences to come into your life for your growth and development so you can run your race strong and finish your race well. Jesus Christ is Sovereign over all!

David’s examples of meaningful experiences that prepared him to face Goliath– 1 Samuel 17:³⁴ And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

³⁵ And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

³⁶ Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

³⁷ David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

⁴²And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

⁴³ And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

⁴⁴ And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

⁴⁵ Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

⁴⁶ This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

⁴⁷ And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

What is the significance of David’s example for you?

Identify 3 of your Christmas experiences that are personally meaningful to you

Experience #1:

What happened?

Who was there?

Where did it happen?

How did you feel?

How did you react in this situation and what does this tell you about your self?

Why is this experience meaningful to you?

What did you learn?

Experience #2:

What happened?

Who was there?

Where did it happen?

How did you feel?

How did you react in this situation and what does this tell you about yourself?

Why is this experience meaningful to you?

What did you learn?

Experience #3:

What happened?

Who was there?

Where did it happen?

How did you feel?

How did you react in this situation and what does this tell you about your self?

Why is this experience meaningful to you?

What did you learn?

1) Can you see a common thread between these three experiences?

2) What do these experiences tell you about yourself?

Sometimes, our learning is incorrect. Because we live in a fallen creation, where sin and death abound, it is possible to mis-learn. Perhaps your learning is negatively influenced by the words and actions of others. Perhaps your learning is incorrect because in the busyness of life you haven’t questioned your reactions to meaningful experiences or critically processed the events.

Are the lessons you learned from these three experiences about yourself and life valid according to Jesus Christ?

Inappropriate survival skills

Inappropriate survival skills are forms of behavior learned incorrectly to adapt to circumstances. When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you may need to relearn how to survive in this fallen creation and thrive as His new creation. For example, I learned to deal with difficulty and bitter circumstances by stuffing my feelings, ignoring them and not letting myself feel them. Consequently, I came to believe that I did not matter because I was believing that my feelings did not matter.  I mis-learned that my feelings did not matter and that I did not matter.

Look at this lesson in John 11:⁴³ And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

⁴⁴ And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Notice what Jesus said! Lazarus came forth from the dead still wearing his grave clothes and his face was bound with a napkin. Likewise, when you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, choices and behavior from the past may still cling to you. Jesus Christ is the remedy for your mis-learning. Notice Jesus told the others to ‘loose him and let him go’. We need Bible preaching and study, Christian fellowship, friendship and sharing to loosen us from the things of the past.

What is the significance of Lazarus’ grave clothes to you?

Life is built on character and character is built on decisions. Warren W. Wiersbe

Your Decision-making History

• What are some of the most important decisions you have made?

• How do you make decisions? What factors are important to you?

• Which decision(s) gave you the most satisfaction? Why?

• Is there a decision that did not turn out as you expected?

Why do you think that happened?

5) Do you see any connection between your personally meaningful experiences and decisions you have made?

6) Do you see anything you want to change in how you make decisions?

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through  you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti